MOKANE - The South Callaway Bulldogs concluded a three-game homestand with a doozy.
In the wake of a first-half defensive deadlock Friday night, South Callaway and the Cuba Wildcats proceeded to scorch the scoreboard with a combined 51 points over a frenetic final 24 minutes.
But in the end, the Bulldogs managed to withstand a wild comeback by Cuba and three fourth-quarter touchdown passes from senior quarterback Mason Pfeiffer to secure a 29-22 non-conference victory.
South Callaway pushed its winning streak to three games while raising its season record to 5-2. The Bulldogs scored on each of their three possessions in the third quarter to build a 21-0 advantage and then appeared to be in control with a 29-7 lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game.
"Basically the entire third quarter, we had a lot of momentum, a lot of energy there," South Callaway head coach Zack Hess said. "You get into the fourth quarter and you give up a touchdown and you're thinking, 'Well, OK, let's reset.'
"Then offensively, we kind of stalled out there in the fourth quarter and then we gave up some big plays defensively. That's something we've got to work on, along with maintaining our energy, our enthusiasm throughout the course of four quarters of a game."
The Wildcats finally shook off their offensive futility when Pfeiffer flipped a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Matt Chase with 11 minutes, 9 seconds to go in the contest. Senior wide receiver Alan O'Neal kicked the extra point to make it 21-7.
The Bulldogs, though, answered immediately to go up by three scores again. With South Callaway facing a fourth-and-4, senior running back Hayden Vaught darted 50 yards for his second touchdown of the game with 9:29 remaining.
Sophomore quarterback Jacob Martin completed the two-point conversion on a pass to senior tight end Tyler Potter to give the Bulldogs a seemingly comfortable 22-point edge.
Cuba, though, showed some feistiness by countering with a three-play, 54-yard scoring drive that took less than a minute. Pfeiffer delivered a 32-yard touchdown pass to O'Neal, who added the PAT to bring the Wildcats within 29-14 with 8:34 to play.
South Callaway was looking at another fourth-and-4 from its own 47-yard line on its next series and opted to go for it again. However, the decision didn't pay off this time as junior running back Trace Helsel was stopped for just a 1-yard gain and the ball went back to Cuba.
"The first couple of punts, we didn't get a lot out of it, so it was just kind of a calculated risk," Hess said. "If we get a first down, we keep the drive going, and if not, at least they've got to go half the field.
"We wanted to be aggressive in that situation and it didn't work out. That's the risk factor to it - it's risk and reward. Some of them work and some don't."
The Wildcats needed only three plays to profit from the Bulldogs' failed gamble. Senior wide receiver Austin Clayton snuck free behind the South Callaway secondary and pulled in a Pfeiffer pass in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown.
Junior running back Conner Gipson ran in the two-point conversion as Cuba suddenly and shockingly narrowed the gap to seven points with 5:44 left.
Following a fast three-and-out by the Bulldogs and a short punt, the Wildcats took possession at their own 48. After a 14-yard pass to junior tight end Dylan Keogh, two incompletions and a 6-yard pass left Cuba and Pfeiffer facing a fourth-and-4 from the South Callaway 28.
Senior defensive end John Hecktor then provided the pivotal play for the Bulldogs when he sacked Pfeiffer for a 14-yard loss and South Callaway took over on downs with 2:04 to go.
"We didn't bring a lot of pressure for most of the game and we felt like the quarterback was just kind of sitting back there and just had too much time," Hess said. "He didn't really scramble as much as I thought he would. I think our defensive line did a pretty good job of keeping him in the pocket, but he connected on some passes that got us.
"On that particular play, we wanted to bring a little pressure and that freed John up. That was a big play on John's part - John's a phenomenal defensive lineman."
Coming out of the scoreless first half, the Bulldogs recovered Cuba's onside kick at the South Callaway 49 to start the third quarter. Attempting to jump-start their offense, the Bulldogs went to a Wildcat formation and Helsel took a direct snap on first down and picked up 39 yards.
Vaught collected another direct snap on the next play and raced to the outside for a 12-yard touchdown run with 11:34 to play in the quarter.
After a three-and-out by Cuba, South Callaway stretched its advantage behind a 10-play, 69-yard scoring drive. Helsel bulled his way up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown run and sophomore kicker Caleb Pezold's extra point put the Bulldogs in front 14-0 at the 6:41 mark of the quarter.
An interception by South Callaway junior free safety Brendon Mealy on the Wildcats' ensuing possession set up the Bulldogs' third score. Junior quarterback Sam Buckner punctuated a nine-play, 58-yard drive on a 20-yard touchdown run with 1:52 remaining in the quarter.
"It's a great little mix-up to our offense because there's a misdirection factor to it," Hess said of the decision to utilize the Wildcat package. "At the same time, you're leaning on the guys up front.
"We were able to bust a couple of big runs and that helped get the momentum going."
South Callaway returns to Eastern Missouri Conference play next Friday night with a showdown at Bowling Green. The Bobcats (4-3) had their four-game winning streak halted in a narrow 24-22 loss to Centralia - ranked fifth in Class 3 - on Friday night at Bowling Green.
The Bobcats are 4-0 in the EMO and the Bulldogs are 4-1.
"There's a lot on the line, there's a potential conference (title) to that," Hess said. "We'll be ready to go. I think it will be a fun game, I think the clock's going to move pretty quick in that game (with both teams' running attacks)."
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Ryan Boland can be reached at (573) 826-2422, or on Twitter @FultonSunSports.